Stoker



March 17 1936- J. w. MYERS 2,034,590

` sToKER Filed Sept. 8, 1930 @A TToRNEYs Patented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE STOKER.

Application September 8, 1930, Serial No. 480,497

19 Claims.

partments for receiving a cooling medium, such as steam, and in combining therewith a blast chamber whereby the cooling medium may discharge across the top of the distributing table for propelling the fuel into the re box.

A primary feature of the invention consists in providing the Stoker with a fuel receiving member which extends into the fire box of a boiler, the memberhaving a distributing table and a wall extending upwardly from the latter adjacent its inner end so that fuel is adapted to fall by gravity onto the table in front of the Wall, the table being provided with a compartment for receiving steam from the boiler and the wall having a plurality of orifices communicating with the compartment whereby the steam in the latter may discharge across the top of the table to propel the fuel into the re box.

Another feature of the invention is to provide a stoker having a fuel receiving member which extends into a lire box of a boiler with an L- shaped compartment for receiving steam from the boiler, the compartment having a substantially horizontal wall constituting a fuel distributing plate and a substantially vertical wall projecting upwardly from the horizontal wall adjacent its inner end, the vertical wall being formed with a plurality of orifices having communication with the compartment for permitting steamA to discharge from the latter across the top surface of the distributing plate for propelling the fuel into the fire box. l

A further feature of the invention consists in providing the fuel distributing table with a blast chamber having a plurality of vertically spaced rows of orifices, the lowermost row of orices being of less size than the uppermost row.

A still further feature of the invention consists in providing the blast chamberand table with a plurality of steam receiving compartments and in providing means for regulating the pressure of the steam in each of the compartmentsf Other and more specic features of the invention residing in advantageous forms, combinations and relations of parts will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention,-

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the com- 5 bined blast chamber and distributing table, the view also showing in section the adjacent part of a stoker withwhich the table may be associated and the back wall of a boiler.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the coml0 bined blast chamber and distributing table.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the construction illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44, Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the blast chamber.

Figure 6 is a front elevational View of a slightly modied form of the invention.

Figure '7 is a plan view of the construction il- 20 lustrated in Figure 6.

While my invention is capable of application to substantially all types of stokers provided with fuel advancing means it is primarily designed for use in connection with stokers for railroad locomotives. However, since the utility of the invention is not dependent upon any particular structural feature of the stoker or upon its method of operation, only a portion of a conduit of the stoker has been illustrated in the drawing. This conduit is designated by the reference numeral I and, as shown, leads to the ring opening 2 formed in the back Wall 3 of a locomotive boiler. For convenience in description the term forward is employed to denote the direction in which the fuel moves through the stoker.

Disposed within the firing opening and projeeting forwardly into the re box of the boiler is a member' 4, preferably formed as an integral casting, having a blast chamber Sand a distribut- 40 l ing table 6. In order that the member may be conveniently associated with the stoker it is provided with a downwardly and rearwardly extending wall or plate portion 1, adapted to be rigidly secured by any suitable means, such as bolts 8, to the underside of the conduit l.

The distributing table is formed as a hollow casting and has a substantially horizontal top wall 9 constituting a fuel distributing plate. To insure even distribution of the fuel within the fire box the upper surface of the distributing plate is preferably configured to deflect the fuel to the sides of the box. In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, of the drawing the plate is formed with substantially channel-shaped depressions I 0 which may advantageously progressively increase in width and depth from adjacent their rear ends to their discharge ends so as to permit the coal to readilyv pass therefrom. However, instead of forming the plate in this manner it may be conveniently provided with a plurality of suitably arranged ribs or anges II, as clearly shown in Figures 6 and 7.

The blast chamber, as may be seen from the drawing, is disposed at the rear of the distributing table and is provided with a substantially vertical front wall I2 which extends upwardly from the distributing plate 9 at the rear edge thereof. This front wall of the blast chamber is preferably of arcuate shape and is provided with two vertically spaced rows of orifices or openings I3 and I4, respectively, for permitting steam to discharge from the chamber across the top of the distributing table to propel the fuel into the fire box. Immediately adjacent the discharge end of the conduit I the member 5 is formed with a downwardly inclined surface I5 which intersects with the outer surface of the vertical wall I2 of the blast chamber. As the fuel discharges from the conduit it moves down the inclined surface and falls by gravity onto the distributing table in front of the vertical wall of the blast chamber. The inclined surface I5 is preferably formed with a plurality of ridges I6 which serve to break up mass formations of the fuel before it drops onto the distributing table and comes in contact with the steam blast.

Although the blast chamber may be provided with only one row of steam discharging orifices it has been found that a better distribution of the coal within the fire box may be obtained by providing it with two rows of vertically spaced orifices and by arranging the orificesof one row in staggered relation with respect to the orifices of the other row. One of these rows, that is, the upper one, is positioned a suicient distance above the top of the distributing table so that the blast discharging from the orifices of this row will act more or less centrally on the lumps of coal while the other row, namely, the. lower one, is

positioned just slightly above the top of the table so that the blast discharging from its orifices will sweep from the table the ne particles of coal which drop or sift between the orifices'of the upper row. However, as a greater force is required to propel the lumps of coal into the re box than is required to propel the ne particles,

A the orifices I4 of the upper row are of greater size than the orifices I3 of the' lower row. In this manner it will be perceived that the energy of the blast issuing from the upper row of orifices is greater than that issuing from those of the lower row so that the lumps of coal will thereby be subjected to a greater force than the fine particles.

As it is often necessary to deliver more fuel to one portion of the fire box than to another, means is preferably provided whereby the pressure of the steam issuing fromone portion of the chamber may be regulated independently of the pressure of the steam issuing from another portion of the chamber. For this purpose the chamber is divided into a plurality of compartments by substantially vertical partition walls I1 which extend forwardly into the table and thereby divide it into similar compartments. Communicating with each of the compartments is a laterally opened passageway I8 formed in the rearwardly extending portion I of the member 4. To each of these passageways is connected a pipe I9 for supplying the latter and the compartment to which it leads with steam directly from the boiler of the locomotive. The pipes I9 are each provided with a manually operable valve 20 so as to regulate the pressure of the steam in the compartment with which it communicates. Thus by properly manipulating the valves the steam pressure in the various compartments of the blast chamber may be regulated so as to control the quantity of fuel delivered to different portions of the fire box.

From the foregoing `it will be appreciated that not only is simple and reliable means provided for delivering different quantities of fuel to various portions of the re box but that means is also provided whereby lumps and fine particles of coal may be evenly distributed to the desired portion of the re box. Furthermore by forming the distributing table with compartments for receiving the steam which is used for the blast, the life of the table is greatly prolonged, as the steam u functions as a cooling medium since its temperature is considerably less than that of the portion of the re box into which the table projects.

1. The combination with a boiler firebox having a firing opening in a wall thereof, of a stoker including a fuel feed conduit and a member projecting into the firebox and receiving fuel from said conduit, said member comprising a distributing table from which fuel is projected into the firebox, a wall extending upwardly from said table adjacent its rear edge, and a blast chamber for receiving pressure uid extending to the forward portion of said table and below the top thereof, said wall being provided with a plurality of orii'lces in communication with said chamber and arranged to discharge pressure fluid over said table.

2. The combination with a boiler firebox having a firing opening in a wall thereof, of a stoker including a full feed conduit and an integral member projecting into the rebox and receiving fuel from said conduit, said integral member comprising a distributing table from which fuel is projected into the firebox, a`wall extending upwardly from said table adjacent its rear edge, and a. blast chamber for receiving pressure uid extending to the forward portion of said table and below the top thereof, said wall being provided with a plurality of orifices in communication with said chamber and arranged to discharge pressure fluid over said table.

3. The combination with a boiler firebox having a firing opening in a wall thereof, of a stoker including a fuel feed conduit and an integral member projecting into the firebox and receiving fuel from said conduit, said integral member comprising a distributing table. from which fuel is projected into the firebox, a wall extending upwardly from said table adjacent its rear edge, and a. blast chamber for receiving pressure fluid, said blast chamber extending forwardly beneath the top of said table and upwardly to a point rearward of said wall, said wall being provided with a plurality of orifices in communication with said chamber and arranged to discharge pressure fluid over said table.

4. The combination with a boiler firebox having a firing opening in a wall thereof, of a Stoker including a fuel feed conduit and a member projecting into the firebox and receiving fuel from said conduit, said member comprising a distributing table from which fuel is projected into the firebox, a wall extending upwardly from said table adjacent its rear edge, and a blast chamber for receiving pressure fluid extending to the forward portion of said table and below the top thereof, said wall being arcuate in horizontal transverse extent and provided with a plurality of orifices in communication with said chamber for discharging pressure fluid over said table.

5. The combination with a boiler irebox having a firing opening in a wall thereof, of a stoker including a fuel feed conduit and a member projecting into the rebox and receiving fuel from said conduit, said member comprising a distributing table from which fuel is projected into the iirebox, a vertical Wall extending upwardly from said table adjacent the rear edgethereof, said vertical wall terminating in an upwardlyextending inclined fuel receiving portion whereby fuel may'fall by gravity in front of said wall onto said distributing table, and a blast chamber for receiving pressure uid, said blast chamber extending forwardly beneath the top of said table and upwardly toward said inclined fuel receiving portion to a point rearward of said vertical wall, said vertical wall being provided with a plurality of orifices in comunication with said blast-chamber and arranged to discharge pressure iiuid over said table.

6.` 'Ihe combination with a boiler flrebox having a firing opening in a wall thereof, of a stoker including a fuel feed conduit and an integral member projecting into the iirebox and receiving fuel from said conduit, said integral member having a blast chamber approximately L-shaped in vertical section for receiving pressure iluid, said blast chamber having a substantially horizontal Wall constituting a fuel distributing table and a substantially vertical wall projecting upwardly from said horizontal wall adjacent the rear edge thereof, said vertical wall being provided With a plurality of orifices having communication with said blast chamber for discharging pressure fluid across the upper surface of said distributing table thereby projecting fuel into the rebox.

7. The combination with a boiler flrebox having a firing opening in a wall thereof, of a stoker including a fuel feed conduit and a member projecting into the firebox and receiving fuel from said conduit, said member comprising a distributing table from which fuel is projected into the firebox, a Wall extending upwardly from said table adjacent its rear edge and a plurality of blast chambers for receiving pressure iiuid, each of said blast chambers extending to the forward portion of said table and below the top thereof, said wall being provided with a plurality of orifices respectively in communication with said blast chambers for discharging pressure uid over said table, and

means for regulating the fluid pressure in one of said chambers independently of the fluid pressure in the remainder of said chambers.

8. In combination, a boiler firebox with an opening in a Wall thereof, a fuel feed conduit exterior of the flrebox and including a bottom wall, the discharge end of the conduit being disposed closely adjacent the opening in said rebox wall, a distributor member attached to the underside of the bottom wall of said conduit adjacent 'its discharge end, said distributor member including an upright wall and a distributing table, the upper marginal edge of said upright wall being disposed forward of and below the discharge end of said conduit. a wall inclined upwardly from the upper marginal edge of said upright wall to the bottom wall of said conduit at the discharge end thereof, a plurality of separated pressure uid chambers rearward of said upright wall and beneath said inclined wall, a plate portion l declined rearwardly from the upper marginal edge of said inclined wall, said plate portion including a plurality of passages, one for each of said pressure fluid chambers for conducting pressure iuid thereto, saidupright wall having a plurality of jet orifices for discharging blasts of pressure fluid from said chambers over said distributing table, and 'means for attaching said distributor member to the underside of the bottom wall of said conduit.

9. In combinationl a boiler iirebox with an opening in a wall thereof, a distributor member projecting forwardly through said openinginto the rebox, said distributor member including an upright wall disposed forward of the outer surface of the firebox wall, a wall inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the upper marginal edge of said upright wall, the upper marginal edge of said inclined wall terminating ,closely adjacent the plane of the outer surface of the firebox wall, a plurality of pressure fluid chambers rearward of said upright wall and beneath said inclined wall, and a distributing table extending forwardly from said upright wall, said upright Wall having jet apertures therein leading from said pressure fluid chambers for'discharging blasts of pressure fluid across said distributing table, and a fuel feed conduit delivering to said distributor member and having a portion thereof closely adjacent the outer surface of the firebox backwall.

10. The combination with a boiler rebox having a firing opening in a wall thereof, of a stoker including a fuel feed conduit having a discharge end in communication with said firing opening, and distributing means at the discharge end of said fuel feed conduit for receiving fuel therefrom and projecting the same into the flrebox, said distributing means including a. table, one end of which extends into the rebox and the opposite end of which is disposed adjacent the discharge end of said fuel feed conduit, said table being provided with a chamber beneath its upper surface, and being substantially coextensive therewith, said distributing means being provided with pressure fluid apertures at the last named end of said table for issuing blasts of pressure `fluid over the upper surface of said table, said apertures communicating with the chamber of uid into said chamber.

11. The combination with a boiler iirebox having a firing opening in a wall thereof, of a stoker including a fuel feed conduit having a discharge end in communication with said ring opening, and distributing means at the discharge end of said fuel feed conduit for receiving fuel therefrom and projecting the same into the rebox, said distributing means including a table, one end of which extends into the iirebox and the opposite end of which is disposed adjacent the discharge end of said fuel feed conduit, said table being provided with a chamber beneath its upper surface, and being substantially coextensive therewith, said distributing means being provided with pressure fluid apertures at the last named end of said table for issuing blasts of pressure fluid over the upper surface of said table, said apertures communicating with the chamber of said table, means for introducing pressure fluid into said chamber, and means for controlling the introduction of pressure fluid to such chamber.

12. A fuel distributing member in its operative position including a substantially horizontal table from which fuel is projected over a fire, a wall adjacent the rear edge of s aid table extending upwardly therefrom and a blast chamber for receiving pressure fluid extending to the forward edge of said table, said upwardly extending wall being provided with a plurality of orifices in communication with said blast chamber and directed to issue a blast of pressure fluid over said table.

13. In combination, a. boiler rebox with an opening in a wall thereof, a fuel feed conduit exterior of the flrebox and including an inclined bottom wall, the discharge end of the conduit being disposed adjacent the opening in said rebox wall, a distributor member at the under side of the inclined bottom wall of said conduit adjacent its discharge end arranged to receive fuel therefrom, said distributor member including an upright wall, the upper marginal edge of said wall being disposed forward of and below the discharge end of said conduit` a wall inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the upper marginal edge of said upright wall to the forward end of the inclined bottom wall of said conduit, and a pressure fluid chamber rearward of said upright wall and beneath said inclined wall, said upright wall having forwardly directed jet apertures communicating with said chamber.

14. In combination, a boiler rebox with an opening in a wall thereof, a fuel feed conduit exterior of the rebox and including an inclined bottom wall, the discharge end of the conduit being disposed closely adjacent the opening in said firebox wall, a distributor member at the under side of the inclined bottom wall of said conduit adjacent its discharge end and positioned in said opening, said distributor member being arranged to receive fuel from said conduit and including an upright wall forward of the discharge end of said conduit, a wall inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the upper marginal edge of said upright wall to the forward end of the inclined bottom wall of said conduit, and a pressure fluid chamber rearward of said upright wall and beneath said inclined wall, said upright wall having jet apertures therein leading from said chamber for discharging blasts of pressure fluid.

15. In combination, a boiler rebox having a firing opening in an upright wall thereof, a fuel feed conduit exterior of the firebox delivering to said firing opening and including a bottom wall at its discharge end terminating adjacent the ring opening and above the lower marginal edge thereof forming a space therebetween, a blast chamber disposed in said space and mounted bodily against the under side of-said bottom wall in under-lappirg relation therewith adjacent its discharge end, means accessible from within the conduit detachably securing the blast chamber to said bottom wall and a distributing table at said firing opening extending forward from said blast chamber, the latter being provided with orifices for `the discharge of pressure fluid over said table.

16. In combination, a boiler firebox with an opening in a wall thereof, a fuel feed conduit exterior of the firebox and including a bottom wall, the discharge end of said bottom wall being disposed adjacent to and above the lower marginal edge of the opening in said flrebox wall, a distributor member at the discharge end of said bottom wall arranged to receive fuel therefrom, said distributor member including an up right wall forward of the discharge end of said bottom wall, a wall inclined along straight lines upwardly and rearwardly from the upper marginal edge of said upright wall to the discharge end of said bottom wall, a pressure fluid chamber rearward of said upright wall and beneath said inclined wall, and a distributing table extending forwardly from said upright wall, said upright wall having jet apertures therein leading from said pressure fluid chambers for discharging blasts of pressure fluid across said distributing table.

17. A fuel distributor member adapted for attachment to a stoker conduit, said member in its operative position including an upright wall, a wall inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the upper marginal edge of said upright wall and being of greater width than the height of said upright wall, a plurality of pressure fluid chambers rearward of said upright wall and beneath said inclined wall, and a plate portion declining rearwardly from the upper marginal edge of said inclined wall to a point below the lower edge of said upright wall, said declined plate portion being of greater width than the inclined wall and including a plurality of passages, one for each of said pressure fluid chambers for admitting pressure fluid thereto, said upright wall having jet apertures therein leading frornsaid pressure fluid chambers for discharging blasts of pressure fluid.

18. A fuel distributor member adapted for attachment to a Stoker conduit, said member in its operative position including an upright wall, a wall inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the upper marginal edge of said upright wall and being of greater width than the height of said upright wall, a plurality of pressure fluid chambers rearward of said .upright wall and beneath said inclined wall, and a plate portion declining rearwardly from the upper marginal edge of said inclined wall to a point below the lower` edge of Asaid upright wall, said declined plate portion being of greater width than the inclined wall and including a plurality of passages, one for each of said pressure fluid chambers for admitting pressure fluid thereto, said declining plate portion also being provided with an element of means for attachingy said distributor member to a stoker conduit, said upright wall having jet apertures therein leading from said pressure fluid chambers for discharging blasts of pressure fluid.

19. A fuel distributor'member adapted for attachment to a stoker conduit, said member in its operative position including an upright wall, a, wall inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the upper marginal edge of said upright wall and being of greater width than the height of said upright wall, a plurality of pressure fluid chambers rearward of said upright wall and beneath said inclined wall, and a plate portion declining rearwardly from the upper marginal edge of said inclined wall to a point below the lower edge of said upright wall, said declined plate portion being of greater width than the inclined wall and including a plurality of passages, one for each of said pressure fluid chambers for admitting pressure fluid thereto, said declining plate -portion also being provided with threaded holes spaced between the named pressure fluid passages, said upright wall having jet apertures therein leading from said pressure fluid chambers for discharging blasts of pressure fluid.

JOHN w. MYERS. 

